Like us, our Pets will someday go to the Summer lands

[Ailim]

Like us, our beloved animals must also one day pass through to the Summer Lands. Unfortunately, due to their short life span compared to ours, we may have to go through this a number of times.

At Pagan Transitions, we believe that all Life should be shown respect when that time comes. So if you are faced with having to say goodbye to your pet, whether its a natural death, or perhaps because the Vet has to end its life due to illness or injury, then performing a simple ceremony at an appropriate time will not only aid your pet's spirit find its way through the veil, but will also help you in your grief.

When my English Springer dog had to be put to sleep by the Vet, we arranged for him to be cremated (sole cremation) and then we scattered his ashes at the bottom of the garden in ritual. This helped me, especially, to accept his passing and during that ceremony a vision of him playing among a field of green grass and flowers, with the sun shining, and a happy look on his face, came to me. It was as though he was saying, "It's okay Mum - I'm happy here. Don't fret."

If you would like help with creating a ritual for your pet, please contact me and I'll do my best to help you.

All Life is sacred to the Goddess - even the smallest that we cannot yet see.

[Guest]

Thanks for this lovely post, I had a similar experience when I lost my little dog a couple of years ago. He was at the vest undergoing tests, when they called me with the worst news, I felt so hopeless, so I took myself off with my offerings to my grove, its a place we always walked to together, so I sat at the tree, and gave thanks for his life, and the many years we had together (15), and asked the gods that he be guided home safely. I left my offerings and sat there for some time. It helped me get through those first terrible hours of shock and grief.

We had a single cremation at a pet cemetary, and the ashes returned to us, now whenever i visit my grove, i put a little something on his tree for him, with love and memories, and the knowledge that his still running around with me, far fitter and happier than he had been in his later years.

waiting for the time we are together again.

Blessings

[Ronwen]

sorry - I forgot to log in before sending that ....

blessings Ronwen

[liban]

Thanks Ailim for this post. During times of grief it is not always easy to come up with your own ceremony so it is wonderful if there is someone there that can help one in that endeavor!

You are right...it is very helpful to have ceremony for a pet that passes. I have always found some way to say good bye when I had a pet pass on! They are as much part of the family as any relative.....usually I like my critters more!

I have one pet burried outside our house. I kept her collar as a reminder. Then I have another pet cremated and sitting on our living room mantle with a lovely leather carving my husband made.

Heck....I dont think this is surprising for someone like me. When living with a friend and her spouse, I had a little hampster die (3 years old). I was so distraught I made a box with new bedding in it and carefully wrapped my beloved pet in some beautiful cloth prior to putting her in the box. Better yet, I had to wait until 2 am for my friends husband to come home and help dig the hole since it was winter and the ground was frozen solid! You should have seen the strange looks from him as I preceded to stay outside saying good bye for the next 30 minutes after he finished digging the hole (he watched from inside since I was more than capable of filling the hole in myself and it was very cold out!).

Love and laughter -- Liban

[Loosh]

Ailim--That is just what I did and here is the poem I wrote in tribute to my old cat 18 years old that just died a month ago:

Max Rides the Smoke All the Way Home

From the grinding of the dried tree sap
To the charcoal ember glowing
The sacred smoke cleansing rises,
Swirling and blowing in unseen winds,
Opens a door to the Otherworld.

Held in silence, held in peace--
My heart, a vast meadow of love and green.
A familiar shape leaps from the smoke
Into the Summerland of my heart.

It is my old friend come back to me.
Death could not hold his soul.
Where love dwells he heard the call
The secret door of smoke rising
Sent a welcome to the Otherland.

Green eyes glowing, his paws eager,
He leaped to ride again with me in this world
And all to see, as long as I live
His furry soul abides with me!

[ronandundermann]

Loosh

[Ailim]

Loosh, that is so beautiful - thank you for sharing it with us.

[CopperLion]

Ailim,

This is a very touching topic (brings a few tears to my eyes). This weekend we're planting 2 new trees in our backyard, an 'Evergreen Pear' and a 'Holly Oak', we'll bury the ashes of our 3 most recenetly dearly departed under them. Lucy, a Great Dane mix who died as a puppy (a year and a half old) from a severe attack of blot, will be layed to rest under the Holly Oak. Garfield and Spunky, two elderly cats who both passed away from cancer, will rest together under the Evergreen Pear.

[Ailim]

CopperLion, my thoughts are with you all.

For an example of a Pet's Ceremony, please look at our Pagan Transition site, under Rituals. The pets ritual is a frame upon which each can weave their own thoughts and patterns. Its a start

http://www.pagan-transitions.org.uk/

[Ruadh]

Ailim,

What a beautiful ceremony! Reading it over had me in tears remembering all the sweet souls that I have lost over the years and the ill ones in my care who's time with me grows shorter with each passing day.

All too often, our grief over the loss of our companion animals is demeaned or belittled by society, but Pagan Transitions has filled that terrible gap and gives recognition to our pain. Thank you so much!

Copperlion, my thoughts and prayers will be with you, Lucy, Garfield and Spunky this weekend.

Loosh, my deepest sympathies for the loss of your Max. Your poem was very moving! Thank you for sharing it with us.

Peace to all,
Ruadh

[Laurelin Tauregwaithalion]

Hmmm... could've used that Celtic Devotional when my "B kitty" died two autumns ago. She had been my first familiar, gone after 16 years of devotion and love. Before she died, I brought home another cat who waited patiently to become closer to me. He's very respectful of social protocol. I still miss her reading with me (she'd sit by me and read over my shoulder at night), but Olorin takes up the slack by gazing adoringly as I practice my flute. I don't know what I would've done without him. He was uniquely suited to help me finish grieving, my cuddlebug.

Maybe I'll do the Celtic Devotional ceremony anyway...

--Laurelin Linrilwen Tauregwaithalion

[Ruadh]

Laurelin,

Olorin enjoys the flute playing? When I first took up the tin whistle, my cats were constantly trying to attack it. I tried shutting them out of the room so I could practice, but they would howl and scratch at the door....maybe it wasn't the flute...maybe I just wasn't very good at playing it...

Peace,
Ruadh

[Laurelin Tauregwaithalion]

Olorin prefers the flute to the piccolo, and he doesn't like my crappy tin whistles, though he does appreciate my Sindt.

He has a strong preference for Mozart and Ian Anderson, and doesn't prefer the quicker, brighter tin whistle tunes. He does appreciate a nice Irish Air, though... and he loves my duets with the fiddler (harmonies make him VERY happy).

--Laurelin Linrilwen Tauregwaithalion

[HawkT]

Laurelin, there's nothing stopping you from using the Celtic Devotional to honour your beloved kitty now. Sure it's 2 autumns pass, but perhaps to continue to support you both on the journey, maybe you could hold a small memorial to honor, celebrate and recognise the passing of her. She sounded like a wonderful support to you and I'm sure that Olorin will continue to guide you for as long as you need him.

It sure is hard when we loss one of our beloveds - I have a rag doll persian - 14years, and each day I wonder, will he be there when I wake him in the morning, but I also know that when his time to go to the summerlands arrives, I will be devistated that I've lost this divine being, but also relieved that he's continuing his journey too. (I can hear him snoring at the mo! LOL!) I use to say that I wanted to keep his fir as a reminder of his being with us, (gross I know!) but now have decided to let him be outside buried under one of the bushes he use to like to hide under and tell the birds that he's waiting for them.... And I will use the Celtic Devotional to send him on his way.... Thanks so much for sharing that with us Ailim...

blessings HawkT

[Sophia Zoe]

Loosh,
Your poem is wonderful. I especially like the idea of your cat leaping into the Summerland of your heart. Beautiful metaphor.

Does anyone have a practice for animals who've been hit on the road? We have a lot of that here and in the fall the toll on the deer is especially bad.

Blessings,
SZ

[Brigantia]

I needed to read this list once again as my beloved soul puppy companion of 14 years went to the Summerlands a couple of hours ago.
May she enjoy her frolics in the woods and find friends to give her belly rubs and let her mooch food off of them

I'm still seeing her in all her familiar places her passing is so close.

Thanks for letting me vent/cry
Brigantia

[Selene]

Brigantia,
I'm so sorry for your loss. May she play happily in the Summerlands and may the memory of her love for you give you comfort.


Blessings and tears for you both,
Selene

[CopperLion]

Brigantia,

You have my deepest condolences your loss reminds me of losing my Great Dane puppy "Lucy" several years ago. If my experience is any indicator, your soul puppy will be walking with you for several weeks yet to come :crying: I think they do that to comfort us so their parting isn't such an abrupt shock.



:lynx:

[Sophia Zoe]

Brigantia,


A warm hug and my deep sorrow at your loss. I also felt when one of y cats died that whe was with me. I kept seeing her out of the corner of my eye. Take care of you in the next few weeks.

Peace,
SZ

[Ailim]

Dear Brigantia, I'm so sorry for your loss. You will feel her spirit close to you for some time and I hope that this will comfort you in your loss.

I don't think a pet who has been well loved will ever leave and believe that some of their aura remains with us. I know that, even now, 2 years after my Springer Spanial died, I sometimes feel his presence as I come through the door.